Thrushes

A great couple of days on Hilbre with a good passage of Blackbirds being logged. At one point Tuesday there were estimated to be 40+ on the Island and others appeared from the north end literally dropping out the sky. An early morning trip in darkness to beat the tide Wednesday was rewarded with more Blackbirds and a small passage of Chaffinches. Most of these birds are assumed to have come from the continent as they are generally bigger than our resident ones.

Amongst the commoner Blackbirds there was the dd Redwing and a single Fieldfare that found its way into a mist net in the Obs garden and was ringed as a 1st year female.

As well as the birds ringed Obs staff were kept busy monitoring other species either on the island or on the sea. The Purple Sandpiper flock has grown to 15 birds fro m5 last weekend and a Great Northern Diver flew down the east side before doing a U turn and heading north again out to sea. Star bird though was the juvenile Pom Skua found by Degsy eating a dead auk whilst sat on the sea. As it drifted out with the tide a couple of mainland based Obs members managed to twitch it.

All this and a malt whisky followed by bacon sandwiches for (late!)breakfast!